Pregnancy Diary: 8 Weeks Pregnant – My First Scan

Hi. I’m now 8 weeks pregnant! Currently, I’m about 8 weeks and 6 days.

My 8-Week Emergency Scan Experience

I had my emergency scan last Friday, when I was exactly 8 weeks according to my last missed period. Because of coronavirus restrictions, I had to go alone, which made an already nerve-wracking experience even more stressful.

My partner had to wait in the car park whilst I went in. Thankfully – and I can’t express enough relief – everything was fine. I saw my baby’s heartbeat flickering away on the screen, and it was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.

Why I Was Bleeding: The Sonographer’s Explanation

The sonographer told me everything looked great. She examined the scan carefully but couldn’t find any obvious reason for the bleeding I’d experienced. She explained that sometimes bleeding just happens in early pregnancy – it’s not uncommon – and it isn’t always a sign that something is wrong. She checked the area around the gestational sac and couldn’t see any haematomas or issues. I haven’t had any bleeding since the scan, thankfully. What a relief!

My 8 week scan photo

Baby Measuring Ahead: What It Means

The baby was measuring 17mm and was actually measuring 2 days ahead of where I should have been, according to my dates. However, the sonographer explained that they stick with the dates based on your last missed period until the 12-week dating scan, when they’ll measure more accurately and may adjust your due date. Since I don’t know exactly when I ovulated, the dates could easily be out by a few days. But I wasn’t complaining about measuring ahead!

I’m just glad it was ahead rather than behind because 2 days closer to getting out of the first trimester is amazing when you have morning sickness haha! I know 2 days is nothing in the grand scheme of things but at this stage, every day counts!

Seeing My Baby Made It Real

The most important thing is that the baby is measuring on track and has a strong heartbeat. I just pray I don’t have any more scares because I can’t cope with this. But I’m happy I got to see my little baby as I still didn’t fully believe I was pregnant. But there it is. My baby. My child. I’m going to be a mother.

Morning Sickness Update at 8 Weeks

So, in my last post, I mentioned how I forgot to take my pregnancy vitamins and felt better and believed it was the iron in them aggravating my morning sickness, which is pretty common.

I had two days of feeling better but then the morning sickness came back on Sunday. I felt terrible Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday I started to feel a bit better and yesterday (Wednesday) and today I’m feeling better. I still have the food aversion, smell aversions and feel crap but not as sick. I’m hoping I’m over the worse now and I can start to get back to normal. I’m keen to get back into the gym and eating healthy. And the moment I’m just eating what I can stomach. Which is mostly crisps, toast and fruit.

I did weigh myself and I’ve gained a pound and a half which is okay. In the first trimester, you should gain around 3lbs. I feel like I’ve been eating loads but it’s mostly just snacks and no real meals.

Baby Development at 8 Weeks

This is my baby now at 8 weeks pregnant.

So my baby is the side of a grape. It’s growing around a millimetre a day, so now should be 23mm! This week it has levelled up from embryo to foetus and while it’s still getting nourishment from the yolk sack, the placenta is forming. The legs are long and it has webbed hands and my room is around the size of a lemon now. Insane!

I can’t wait for it to look like an actual baby!

Final Thoughts

Getting to see my baby at 8 weeks pregnant and hearing that everything was okay after the bleeding scare was the biggest relief of my life. That tiny heartbeat flickering on the screen made everything real. This wasn’t just positive pregnancy tests and feeling sick anymore – there was an actual baby in there, growing and thriving.

Going to the scan alone because of COVID restrictions was hard, but I’m so grateful I got to have the scan at all. If you’re experiencing bleeding in early pregnancy, please don’t hesitate to contact your GP or midwife. The reassurance of seeing that heartbeat is worth everything.

Frequently Asked Questions: 8 Weeks Pregnant

What happens at an 8-week pregnancy scan?

At an 8-week scan, the sonographer measures the baby (mine was 17mm), checks for the heartbeat, and examines the gestational sac. It’s usually an internal scan at this early stage. They’ll give you a due date based on measurements, though this may be adjusted at your 12-week dating scan.

Can you see the baby’s heartbeat at 8 weeks?

Yes! The heartbeat is clearly visible at 8 weeks. Seeing that little flicker on the screen was the most amazing thing. The sonographer can measure the heart rate too, which is usually between 140-170 bpm at this stage.

Is bleeding normal after an 8-week scan?

Bleeding can happen in early pregnancy even when everything is fine with the baby. In my case, the sonographer couldn’t find a specific cause for the bleeding but confirmed the baby was healthy. I didn’t have any more bleeding after the scan. Always get bleeding checked by a doctor, though.

What size is a baby at 8 weeks?

At 8 weeks, your baby is about the size of a raspberry or grape (around 15-20mm). Mine measured 17mm. The baby has gone from embryo to foetus stage, and while still looking quite alien-like, is starting to develop more recognisable features.

Why does morning sickness get worse at 8 weeks?

Morning sickness often peaks around weeks 8-10 when hCG levels are at their highest. I was still feeling pretty rough at 8 weeks, though I’d worked out that the iron in my prenatal vitamins was making it worse, so switching to folic acid-only tablets helped.

All my pregnancy diary blog posts:

Pregnancy Diary Week 4

Pregnancy Diary Week 5

Pregnancy Diary – 6 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary – 7 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary – 8 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy Diary – 9 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy Diary – 10 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary – 11 & 12 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 13 & 14 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 15 & 16 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 17 & 18 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 19 & 20 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 21 & 22 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 23 & 24 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 25 & 26 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 27 & 28 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 29 & 30 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 31 & 32 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 33 & 34 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 35 & 36 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Diary: 37 & 38 weeks pregnant

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